Transparent electrodes such as indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes, for example, are very useful materials that are used in electronic devices, such as in mobile telephone displays. However, indium, which is the central element, is a rare metal whose price has recently increased dramatically. Considering future demand, it is desirable to replace indium with another, less expensive substance. To obtain a metal (synthetic metal) from typical elements such as carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur atoms, there are two types of method, i.e., a method carried out with a charge transfer complex using an electrolytic oxidation method, and a method carried out with a conductive polymer by a chemical doping method that adds a doping agent.
Conventionally, it has not been possible to obtain an organic transparent electrode other than by these methods.